Alternate Episode IX: The Ultimate Sacrifice
by Skywalker2B
Summary: Continuing with the things setup in The Force Awakens and The Last Jedi, the story is picked up several years later. The dwindling Resistance is trying to restart the Rebellion while the First Order replaces the Empire as the rulers of the galaxy. Kylo Ren searches for a tool that would give him ultimate power as Rey uses the Jedi books to learn how to be the first of the new Jedi.
1. The Story

p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"STAR WARSbr /Episode IXbr /THE ULTIMATE SACRIFICE/p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 1.0in 8.0pt 1.0in;"The New Republic and the fledgling Resistance have been decimated by the First Order. The galaxy, under the rule of EMPEROR REN, is in turmoil. Billions are starving and dying as the First Order tries to control the population and resources./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 1.0in 8.0pt 1.0in;"Following in Darth Vader's footsteps, Kylo Ren and his loyal Knights of Ren are tracking down and murdering all of the force sensitive beings they can find, including younglings. Only Rey has eluded them./p  
p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; margin: 0in 1.0in 8.0pt 1.0in;"After Emperor Ren's betrayal and murder of his mother, Leia Organa Solo, Finn and GENERAL POE DAMERON, hunted by the First Order, lead separate missions to recruit freedom fighters for the new Rebellion…/p  
p class="MsoNormal" /p  
p class="MsoNormal"Similar to the opening of ANH, we pan under a huge First Order Star Destroyer moving into position over a planet below. The planet is Naboo. As we pan out, we see that there are several of them. On the bridge of a SD we see a FO Commander watching out of the view port as a subordinate reports to him. "Sir, all ships are in position. Our informant reports that the meeting is in progress and that General Dameron is present." Without looking away, he responds, "Good. Have all ships launch fighters and prepare for bombardment. I don't want them escaping." [scene wipe]/p  
p class="MsoNormal"We see 3PO sitting in the pilot seat of the Falcon as an alarm starts. "Oh, no! They've found us! I have to warn them." Threepio frantically calls for Poe over his comlink. [scene wipe]/p  
p class="MsoNormal"We see Poe and Chewie in a room talking with several local freedom fighters dressed in paramilitary gear. There's a break in the conversation as the freedom fighters are discussing Poe's proposal among themselves. Poe's comlink buzzes and a frantic 3PO is calling "General Dameron! General…!", but Poe say's "Not now 3PO, we're in the middle of something here…" "But, Sir! They've found us! Several Star Destroyers have arrived and are launching fighters!" At that, Poe jumps up and turns to Chewie, "We gotta go…." Turning to the others he says, "We don't have time for a debate. If you're with us, you need to come with us right now." Without waiting for an answer he turns and follows Chewie out of the room./p  
p class="MsoNormal"We then see Poe and Chewie, and the freedom fighters, running through the city. Suddenly there are multiple explosions around the city as the Star Destroyers open fire. As the group runs through the city, they are avoiding multiple explosions and their resulting falling and flying debris. Poe yells into his comlink, "Threepio, get ready for a quick takeoff…[a nearby explosion]…and if I don't make it, tell my wife that I love her." They eventually make it to the Falcon and run up the ramp. 3PO quickly takes off just before the place where the Falcon sat explodes.[scene wipe]/p  
p class="MsoNormal"On the other side of the galaxy, Dagobah, Rey, wearing muted green training clothes, sits on a fallen tree studying the old Jedi books from TLJ. The camera shows her hands holding the books…she's wearing a wedding ring. She gently closes the book and sets it down next to her. [Force theme music] Lowering to the ground. she sits cross legged, her hands resting on her knees. She closes her eyes and goes into a Jedi meditation (apparently, from what she just read). After a few seconds, we see her face contort into a grimace before suddenly opening her eyes and a look of horror and fear on her face. Force ghost Yoda comes to her and, in a fearful voice, she tells Yoda that she saw her husband Poe, Chewie, and others in trouble. She saw Finn, fearfully running away, chased by the FO. She saw lots of death and destruction and the dark side consuming everything because of Kylo Ren. "Seen this before, have I," Yoda says. "A student of mine, he was." Rey looks a little confused. Yoda continues, "Handle the vision well, he did not." Yoda then tells her similar to what he told Luke on Dagobah, that it is a possible future that she sees through the force. "A 'possible' future?" she asks. "Mmm, yes. Every decision, every action has an effect. Always in motion is the future," Yoda responds. "How you handle it, all will depend."[scene wipe]/p  
p class="MsoNormal"On Tatooine, Mos Eisley, which has grown and developed in the preceding decades, the streets are full of people (including various aliens). Finn and Rose, both in disguise as masked bounty hunters (Rose as Zuckuss, Finn as the yellow flight suit with space helmet (Bossk's flight suit, Tatooine Cantina character from ANH), with a white and pink (think R2-KT) in tow (it's R2-D2 in disguise), are going to a secret meeting with a small group of freedom fighters to convince the group to join with them to rebuild the Rebellion that took down the first Empire. Looking around, they duck into a small alcove. "There's the place," Finn says, pointing to a nearby building. "R2, stay here and watch the door." Together, Finn and Rose step back out into the street and head for the door to the building he pointed out and go in./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Upon entering the room, Finn is surveying the room, looking for someone among the group. The camera pans a few of the worn and grizzly faces of the fighters (male, female, young and old). Unable to decide whom to address, Finn says, "We're supposed to talk to...um, (he looks to Rose seemingly for approval to continue), Fulcrum." From behind the group steps an old man, Lando. "I'm Fulcrum," he says with his iconic swagger. Rose whispers to Finn, "Are you sure this is the contact Maz gave you?" Finn nods, then looks back to Lando, "You're not exactly what I expected." Lando chuckles, "What can I say...I've been around for a long time...and I know people", he says, gesturing to the rest of the people in the room. Finn and Rose take off their helmets. When Finn removes his helmet, Lando gets a funny look on his face. Finn asks him if there's a problem. Lando responds that Finn looks like someone he knows. He goes on to explain that he knows a couple who lost their son at a young age, and Finn looks just like the husband. Finn is very interested and asks if the couple are still alive. Lando says "yes". Before Lando can say anything more, Finn asks where they are. Lando tells them that he had a clean-up and salvage business operating in the Endor system and that the couple works there. Finn looks like he is immediately ready to go look for his parents. He looks at Rose, who looks at him knowingly. But Finn realizes that they are there for a reason and they continue to discuss rebuilding the Rebellion. After the group agrees to join their new Rebellion, Lando tells Finn and Rose that he has some information for them to get back to General Dameron. He tells them that his sources said that the FO found a cache of old Imperial data records and are now looking for some kind of living painting. Supposedly, it has something to do with the force. It may even be a weapon./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Outside we see a large contingent of FO troopers surrounding the building. At their leader's command, without hesitation, the troopers burst in through the door. Across the way, hidden in a shadow, a worried warble from R2 as he looks distressed./p  
p class="MsoNormal"The whole group is captured. A FO trooper says to another, "Inform Emperor Ren that we have the traitor in custody." As they are being led out in cuffs, R2 decides to take action. Quickly rolling out into the street, he straightens up and his leg rockets deploy. He takes to the air, wildly beeping and spraying his fire extinguisher at the group. As the troopers turn and begin firing at R2, the captured Rebels attempt to escape, but there are simply too many troopers. In the commotion, Lando is killed by FO troopers as Finn and Rose also break away. R2 is hit multiple times and falls to the ground in a small explosion. As they are running, Rose looks back and sees a trooper sighting down on Finn. She throws herself in front of Finn, taking the shot in her back. Hearing Rose cry out in pain, Finn turns to see her down on the ground. He is horrified. He starts to go back to her, but she puts up her hand to stop him and says "Go find your parents" and collapses. With a slight look of hope on his face, Finn turns and flees.[screen wipe]/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Poe and Chewie have replaced 3PO as pilots. The Falcon is flying, weaving, spinning all over, and avoiding most of the pursuing FO TIE's constant fire. Although taking damage, the ship's shields are holding. Two of the freedom fighters are manning the quad-cannons firing back at the TIE's, hitting several./p  
p class="MsoNormal"We then see Kylo Ren's TIE and two others launch from a SD and head towards the planet below. Kylo says "It's time to finish this Resistance once and for all."/p  
p class="MsoNormal""Those Star Destroyers are blocking our escape vector! We can't make the jump to hyperspace that way," Poe says to Chewie. "BB-8!" he yells into the comm, "get us an escape vector for hyperspace…now!" BB-8 rolls from console to console as 3PO whines, "We're doomed! There'll be no escape for us this time." Just as they think they are almost away from the TIE's, another squadron of them come at them from another direction./p  
p class="MsoNormal"As the Falcon attempts to get away, a whole lot of FO TIE fighters chases them. The Falcon takes a lot of damage, but manages to take out several more TIEs while avoiding the turbo lasers of the SD's. Some of the TIEs aren't so lucky. We see Kylo's TIE angle in towards the Falcon. BB-8 excitedly beeps and warbles as a light goes from red to green on Poe's console. He and Chewie quickly go to pull the levers to send them into hyperspace. Just as the Falcon starts to jump to lightspeed and get away, Kylo's TIE launches missiles and fires it's lasers…destroying the Falcon.[scene wipe]/p  
p class="MsoNormal"On Dagobah, we see a montage of Rey training. Suddenly, she loses concentration as she senses the deaths and realizes that she is now alone. Distraught, she searches for what, if anything, she can do. All seems lost. Sensing nothing but darkness, she tries to calm herself, but can't keep herself from crying. Suddenly, after many years of nothing, through their force connection, she sees Ren. He has reached out to her, and sees that she is sobbing. Behind him we see a large screen with an image…it's the "living" painting of the Father, Son, and Daughter that was in Rebels season 4. "You!" Rey screams at him through her tears. "You killed everyone that I love!" But he just stares back at her for a moment, then a small smile comes to his face. He is feeling the dark side swell within him through her anger. Then, calmly, he says to her, "Now there is nothing keeping you from joining me. You don't need to be alone…a nobody. Join me. Together we can cleanse this galaxy and bring order and peace. In time you may even come to love me." (or something like that). "Leave me alone!" she screams through her tears and then forcibly cuts the connection. As she does, she slumps to the ground./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Force ghosts Yoda, Obi-Wan, Anakin, and Luke appear in front of her. She tells them about the contact with Ren and mentions the strange painting that was behind him. During the conversation, Rey mentions that, before she was murdered, Leia told her that Ben was seduced to the dark side by Snoke. OB1 and Anakin tell her about Palpatine manipulating Anakin and Luke tells her how he found out about Snoke's involvement with Ben. Yoda says that it was a turning point in the force and for the galaxy's future. She tells them how Kylo turned on Snoke and killed him, but that drove him further to the dark side instead of towards the light. Rey wonders if there is anything that can be done to keep the galaxy from being completely controlled by the dark side. Yoda nods in acknowledgment, "A jedi uses the force for knowledge and defense, never for attack." Rey responds, "So I've read. Is there anything we…," she looks at them, then corrects herself, "I mean,I. Is there anything I can do?" Anakin appears and tells Rey about his padawan, Ahsoka Tano during the Clone Wars. Yoda tells Rey to seek her out in the Unknown Region. (Not only would it even more connect to Rebels, but it could be similar to the Dark Empire comics where Leia meets Vima da Boda)[scene wipe]/p  
p class="MsoNormal"We see various scenes of the Knights of Ren hunting down force sensitive people. One scene will be in Canto Bight where they find "broom boy" and kill him. They report to Ren about their success. Ren tells them that they've found "it" (the living painting) and to meet him in the Unknown Region./p  
p class="MsoNormal"On a ship, in hyperspace, in route to the Unknown Region, Rey is practicing with the new lightsaber that she constructed from the knowledge she gained from the old jedi books. Force ghosts Anakin and Luke are there to help her. Feeling the death of "broom boy", she shuts it down and sinks to the floor. To calm herself, she goes into a meditation and has another force vision in which she sees Ben as a jedi and the galaxy is at peace. She understands that the force is showing her another possible future, but isn't quite sure why the force is showing her two possible futures. FG Luke tells her to let the force flow through her and that, at the right time, she'll know what to do./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Rey uses the force to guide her and finds an old worn down Ahsoka and introduces herself and tells her that Yoda told her to seek her out. FG Anakin appears and greets Ahsoka, "Hello, Snips." Ahsoka, remembering a long forgotten time in the past, responds with a smile, "It's nice to see you again, Skyguy." They both chuckle. Obviously not in on the meaning of their greetings, Rey, in a serious tone, tells Ahsoka about all that is happening in the known galaxy, outside the unknown region, about the dark side permeating everything. Ahsoka acknowledges and says that she feels it too. Rey asks her if she knows why Yoda would tell her to seek her out. Ahsoka tells her about her experience on Mortis and about the World Between Worlds, how Ezra pulled her out of her time just before Darth Vader killed her, but that she decided to go back to her own time…and that she and Ezra found another "living" painting of the "Father, Son, Daughter" in the Unknown Region [the FO also are looking for this]. Rey then understands that was the painting behind Ren and why he was looking at it. "We have to find it before they do!" Rey exclaims. She knows what she has to do now./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Ahsoka takes Rey there. When they get there, Ren is already there, but he is unable to enter the WBW. He attempts to convince Rey and/or Ahsoka to take him in. They refuse, so he attacks them. It's obvious that Ren cannot defeat them. But then the Knights of Ren show up and ignite their lightsabers. Rey and Ahsoka defeat a couple of the Knights. In the middle of the fight, Ahsoka tells Rey to go, that she'll keep Ren and the Knights busy. Rey goes in./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Inside she sees lots of portals and hears all sorts of voices, some she recognizes, some she doesn't. She hears the voice of Yoda telling Luke (in RotJ) "There is…another…Sky…walk…er." In one of the portals she sees a force priestess say to Yoda "There is another Skywalker." (from The Clone Wars: Lost Missions episodes). Suddenly, force ghost Yoda appears to her. "A mystery, there was." He says. "Revealed to me by the force it was, but understand, at the time, I did not. A sister, Anakin had. [Anakin's voice, questioning: "I had a sister?"] Created, they were, by the Wills of the force, for a purpose only the they knew. Strong with the force, were they both. [Anakin's voice, accepting: "I had a sister."] But hidden away at birth was she." Rey looks confused. "What does that have to do with me?" Yoda continues, "A daughter she had…and a granddaughter. Taken from her parents was the girl. Into slavery she fell. Asleep in her the force was until needed." A wide, and sad eyed Rey says, "It's me." Yoda confirms. "Mmmm," Yoda nods. "A Skywalker, you are." [scene wipe]/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Outside, the lightsaber duel between Ahsoka and Ren rages on. Although Ahsoka has stood her ground, her back is to the painting, it's apparent that she is tiring. Ren taunts her and yells that the WbW's power belongs to him, that he is the ultimate power in the galaxy…and that she can't defeat him. Behind him, the remaining Knights of Ren move into formation to each side of Ahsoka, slowly closing in. Ahsoka calms herself as we hear Anakin's voice. "You've done well, Snips." "Thank you…Master", she says as she steels herself for a final attack. We see Ren raise his saber for a killing blow…/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Rey, recovered from the shock of Yoda's revelation, searches the portals. She finds a portal where Snoke finds out about Ben Solo for the first time. Snoke is being briefed by his suborninates. Grand Admiral Thrawn is seen among them. Rey recalls the talk with Leia and force ghosts about this being a pivotal moment in the galaxy's history. She knows what needs to be done, but seems to be conflicted about doing it, thinking back to what Snoke told her about the force being responsible for her to mirror Ren. Making a decision, she steels herself for what she has to do. Knowing that Snoke is strong in the force, she withdraws herself from it (like Luke did in the ST) so that she can get close to him. Determined, she steps into the portal, quickly grabs one of the guards' blasters and shoots him. We see Snoke fall to the floor and then we see Rey, with blaster still in hand is shot. Cut to Thrawn, his personal blaster in his hand, smoking, grins./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Outside, at the impact of Ahsoka's saber blocking Ren's strike, she falls backwards and into the WBW. Furious, Ren yells, "Noooo!"/p  
p class="MsoNormal"Inside, Ahsoka recovers and runs around looking for Rey. She comes to a portal and sees Rey, just as Thrawn's shot hits her. Ahsoka reaches in and yanks Rey back into the style="mso-spacerun: yes;" /spanThey looking back into the portal and see Snoke lying dead on the floor and the FO officers, shocked, look to Thrawn, the one now in command, for what to do. Rey falls to her knees, her hand covering her wound, and closes her eyes, quickly going into Jedi meditation. We see her force vision through a montage of a completely different galaxy. As a way of showing the New Republic is thriving, we see the New Republic Senate chambers (like in the PT) where they are all cheering. The camera pans to show the Chancellor is Holdo with Connix (Carrie Fisher's daughter, Billie Lourd's character) as her aide. Above Coruscant, we see Poe, with BB-8, leading a squadron of New Republic "newer model" X-Wings or even E-Wings (another nod to the EU) flying past a large MonCal cruiser. Ackbar is giving an order from the command chair. In the hangar, Rose and her sister can be seen working on a New Republic K-Wing bomber. Sitting around a large table full of various foods, we see Luke and his wife have several kids in their late teens and twenties. One daughter has a baby in her arms. Han and Leia sit on the other side of the table with a couple children of similar ages of the Skywalkers. Chewie and Lando, with his family, are there, while 3PO and R2 are off to the side. On Yavin IV there are lots of Luke's New Jedi Order training younglings with Ben Solo as a Jedi Master, "broom boy" is among the jedi trainees. There is no sign of the First Order, but Finn is seen with a family of his own visiting his parents./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Ahsoka is kneeling next to Rey as she opens her eyes. Ahsoka, knowing that Rey is going to die, but that she has changed the past and future of the galaxy tells Rey, "Don't worry. I'll stay here and protect this place. I'll make sure that no one can undo what you did." Rey has a sense of peace as she dies and slumps into Ahsoka's arms. Lastly, we see Rey vanish, her clothes falling to the ground, as she becomes one with the force. She made the ultimate sacrifice to save the galaxy./p  
p class="MsoNormal"The End/p 


	2. Notes

p class="MsoNormal"- The story, going forward again post-RotJ, could then be in animated and live action tv shows, books, comics, /- No need to de-canonize /- Includes connections to the Prequels, The Clone Wars, Rebels, and the Original /- Poe/Rey: There were clues to this idea at the very end of /- Already known the Billy Dee Williams will be in 9br /- Nods to the Luke/Leia pre-RotJ relationship with Ren/Reybr /- World Between Worlds introduced in Rebels. Would have Ahsoka explain what it is to Rey (and to the general audience)br /- "There is another Skywalker" idea comes from a reviewing of the Yoda arc in TCW Lost Missions. It is told, by the force priestess, to Yoda BEFORE RotS, before it's even known that Padme is pregnant. Helps to explain Rey's innate force power/abilities and how it "awakens" in her in 7./p  
p class="MsoNormal"Comments received so far:/p  
p class="MsoNormal""...if they were to pull this off, all is forgiven. If Episode IX were to do this, I would see it in theatres multiple times. My current record for seeing a single film in theatres is four times, but I would break that record for this. Take my money, Disney!"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""I love so much about that plot! I will post more of my thoughts when I have time, but it's great. I would totally pay to see that movie multiple times."/p  
p class="MsoNormal""That ending alone would make me so much more excited for the future of Star Wars than I am now."/p  
p class="MsoNormal""I'm not going to lie I like this idea and it's mostly because of just how WEIRD it is..."/p  
p class="MsoNormal""What you've laid out here would eliminate so many of the things that irk me about 7 8. It also lends itself to so many possible comic book, novel and cartoon avenues with the montage. This has some serious merit!"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""I have decided there is no need to see Episode IX, because I've already seen it here. I genuinely think it could make a fantastic movie."/p  
p class="MsoNormal""I like the treatment and the incorporation of the various elements of the "Star Wars" canon. I found it engaging and I can almost visualize this as if I were watching a movie. Well done"/p  
p class="MsoNormal""I think it closes one chapter and opens a new one with fresh blood without disrupting the continuity of the storyline while keeping the legacy intact."/p 


End file.
